beyond ( HIATUS )
by flustered dreams
Summary: "ARE WE WILLING TO GO BEYOND?" becoming cognates is hard enough as it is. oh, but add on having to hide from people for twenty-seven days successfully? well, then. things just got a little more complicated . . .
1. 00 SLEEPOVER

**(A/N:) UUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGHHHHH GIRL PROBLEMS SUCK BLEEP YOU GIRL ORGANS I F'N HATE YOU WHY MUST U DO THIS TO ME THE CRAMPS, THE CRAMPS!**

* * *

 _ **No part of this story may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the author.**_

 _ **This is a work of fiction. Any names or characters, businesses or places, events or incidents, are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.**_

* * *

SOPHIE WAS SURPRISED WHEN SHE APPROACHED HAVENFIELD TO FIND Grady and Examine standing outside with bright smiles on their faces, waving hands, but her purple backpack next to them and bulges out, clearly packed to the him wth stuff.

She had just light leaped back from fixture and had landed a little away from the house near one of the expansive pastures. She drowned as as have a wave back as drive up to them, her school satchel sling over he shoulder.

She finally made it up to the house a d stood before them, curiously during her bag. "What's going on?"

The two enveloped her in a hug with a laugh. "Nothing, we promise," Examine said when they pulled away.

"You're just heading over to one of your friend's houses."

Sophie's face lit up. She laughed, not truly believing it. "I am?" She asked happily.

"Yeah. You got invited over for a sleepover."

"Cool!" Sophie said, still having a hard time figuring the whole ordeal out. Her friends hadn't informed her of the invite, or the sleepover at at the during the week. And as just got home, so obviously the invite he to have been given out prior . . .

Those sneaky elves. It seemed they always had a trick up their sleeve. . .

. . . Or a 'magic wand'.

"Wait, so I'd my stuff is packed in here?" Sophie asked, taking the bag and swinging it over her shoulder. Her knees buckled at how heavy it was. "Geez! Did you pack my Alchemy textbook in here? No, better, did th pack the alchemy _classroom_ in here?"

Grady chuckled. "No, kiddo. You're just staying the whole weekend. And trust me when I tell you that Edaline likes to be prepared."

Her adoptive mother turned beet red. "I only packed your clothes, toothbrush and toothpaste, a towel on case you need to take a shower, pajamas, an extra pair of shoes, some go-to snacks, your Imparter, a first aid kit, a sleeping bag, a blanket, a pillow, your iPod, deodorant, lotion, hairbrush, some Iggy food-"

 _"Iggy food?"_ Sophie screeched.

"Don't you want to take Iggy?"

On cue, the small imp fluttered from inside the house through the open door and into her shoulder. Sophie then noticed his cage next to Edaline's feet, along with a duffle bag.

"I'm guessing the rest of my stuff that couldn't fit in my backpack is there?"

"Yes," Grady answered, picking it up for her.

Sophie sighed, realising she was going to look like a absolute weirdo when she went to her friends with that many bags. At least they wouldn't judge too harshly.

"Alright. So, do I go, now?"

"Yep."

"Which friends house is it at?"

"Everglen," Examine answered, pulling her in for one last hug. When dealing let go, Grady did the same. "You need some help getting the bags there?"

"Nah. It's just a light leap. I'll be fine," she promised, taking the bag over her other and and stepping up on her tiptoes to kiss Grady's cheek.

She then somehow managed to go get and hold Iggy's cage, but she looked like she was suffocating underneath all the baggage. She snorted as she waddled ito the house to the Leapmaster and Iggy flirted onto her head . "I'm definitely prepared."

She craned her neck upwards and shouted a quick, "Everglen!"

"SO SHE FINALLY DECIDED TO ARRIVE," TAM teased as she made her way to the door. He sat outside on the stone step leading up to the door, but he arose and took her duffle bug.

"Haha"" she said with butter sarcasm. "Why are you out here? Can't breath the same air as Keefe?"

Tam smirked. **((A/N:) Auto correct just hopped in and changed Tam to fam)** "You know me well." He sighed. "Nah. I just lost a bet so I was out out here to wait for you."

Sophie frowned. "I'm sorry. Are they doing anything in there without you?"

"No, just sitting around. They just made me keep a watch."

She grimaced. "You haven't been waiting too long, right?"

"I don't know. How long does it usually take you to say your goodbyes?" He had said it in a cheerful, teasing time and Sophie blushed. " _I_ didn't think it took that long . . ."

He gave a light laugh. "You're a heart-felt person. You think 15 minutes were 5. Well, c'mon inside. They're all waiting."

Sophie walked up to the door with Tam and they swung it open then stepped inside and Sophie immediately heard people running and whispering, "they're here!". Biana **((A/N:) HAHAHAHAHAHA BIANA JUST AUTO CORRECTED TO OBAMA WHY DID THAT MAKE ME LAUGH SO HARD)** flew sound the need as tackled Sophie wth a hug, Iggy flying off he head and her bag falling of her shoulder to the for wth a dramatic, _flump!_

"Sophie!" She squealed.

Lihn **((A/N:) And Lihn just auto corrected to Kuhn, then gun, then hun)** then came around the corner as wrapped Sophie in a lighter, less bone-crushing hug. "Another girl! No . . . No offense to the guys, if course," she said, turning back them with an apologetic shrug and cringe.

"None taken," Dex **((A/N:) AND NOW DEX CORRECTED TO SEX AND THEN DEC WHAT THE CHIMICHANGA TABLET DO U REALLY THINK SOMEONE WOULD NAME THEIR CHILD SEX?!)** said, giving his dimpled smile.

Sophie grinned at the three other boys, besides Tam, who hasn't really greeted her. "Hey."

"Hi," Dex and Fitz chorused while Keefe shouted a overdramatic, "HEY FOSTER!", clearly trying to win some attention.

She rolled her eyes. "Always the drama queen," she teased as Iggy flitted over to a happy Biana. He led in alma and belched. Biana wrinkled up her nose and gagged, trying to get the awful smell away, but when it passed, she brightened back to her usual self. "I'm so going to dye you! Dex, _please_ tell me you have some serums."

"Yeah."

"Yes! Ooh! I can give Linn and Sophie makeovers, too!"

"NO," both girls pled.

"Aw, c'mon. Pleeeeaaaase?" she begged, batting her eyelashes at them innocently.

Both blonde and black haired girls tried to keep their faces stone and stand their ground, but eventually Lihn caved and shook her head, giving a laugh. "I can't believe I'm agreeing."

"Yay!" she celebrated. _"Soooophie?_ How about you?" she singsonged.

She groaned, half and at herself for what she was about to say. "What the heck? Why not."

"Yes!" she exclaimed triumphantly, pumping a fist in re air and bouncing happily.

"No more sugar for her," Tam said, having a couple more in the group murmur their agreements.

"Wait, she _already_ had sugar?" Sophie asked incredulously, looking at the house brunette, bouncing on her heels.

"Yes," they all answered in unison.

"It was my _breakfast!"_ She defended. "Now why don't we get to the makeovers?"

"Boys aren't included, right?" Fitz cringed.

"Hmm . . . Let me think on that . . ." She shrugged. "I'll decide after I do Iggy's, Sophie's and, Lihn's."

* * *

WHEN BIANA WAS FINISHED, SOPHIE WAS SURPRISED WITH THE OUTCOME. To be fair, though, she was _always_ surprised with the outcome.

Biana put Sophie in a black dress that was black, but had patterns of periwinkle and red flowers dusted all over it, with buttons down the center, barely reaching re middle of her abdomen. She gave he she black tights and have her blonde hair some natural-looking curls, making her look last completely different since all Sophie ever seemed to do with her hair was brush it.

Next Biana brush some good and bronze eyeshadow above her eyes and used deep plum eyeliner and mascara to set her eyes off. She applied some magenta lipstick to Sophie 's plump lips and tada!

Lihn was looking just as radiant with gold eyeshadow, black eyeliner and mascara, light pink lips and a pale blue dress to match her eyes.

Iggy was now yellow springy curls. He sneezed as Biana blew in his face to get some of the curls out his eyes, then placed a bow atop his head.

"Done!" Biana said.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaand that means I'm done!" Sophie said, already ready to take off the clothes.

Biana pouted. "Fine. But atleast keep on the makeup."

Sophie sighed. "Deal," she mumbled as they shook hands.

* * *

 **(A/N:) YAAAAAAAAAYY I'M SUPER EXCITED FOR THIS STORY. BUT I DO HAVE A QUESTION THAT I DESPERATELY NEED YOU TO ANSWER.**

 **Alright, so, for this story I have two ideas.**

 **One : They have to all go on a type of road trip to go save a lost/kidnapped . . . Elf . . . That I can't . . . really . . . Tell you about . . . Now . . .**

 **Two : Just Fitz and Sophie are sent out on a type of road trip by the Black Swan, in quest of doing stuff (or just one thing) to become COGNATES!**

 **Omg why did I capitalize all of that, haha, lol?**


	2. 01 TRUTH OR DARE

"GAME TIME!" BIANA ANNOUNCED THE MOMENT SOPHIE GOT DOWNSTAIRS.

She pulled her baggy white shirt with Foxfire's logo on it down further so it would conceal her panties. she never really wore pants for bed, as odd as it sounds.

When she came into the living room, many of the boys stared at her legs and were probably thinking in-gentleman like thoughts as she sat down with her legs criss-crossed. Biana just giggled. "Are pants just too civilized for you?"

Sophie blushed and tried to pull the shirt down further, but stopped when she realized that was pulling the top of the shirt down way too far. "Um, no, I just never . . . Really . . . Wear pants at night. N-next question?" She studdered, trying to get everyone to stop looking at her.

Biana only grinned. "You're going to regret wearing that, you realise?"

She froze for a second. "Why . . ?"

Biana lifted up her hands dramtically. "We're playing Truth or Dare! Yaaaaay!" **((A/N:) Ah, and I go with the cliché truth or dare since I have absolutely no ideas)**

"On no," she whined, burying her face in her hands. "I think I should go back upstairs and change."

Keefe chuckled, his eyes finally on her face instead of anywhere else in her petite body. "Foster, Foster. I need to show you thr ground rules of saying safe during Truth of Dare, don't I?"

"Please, do," she mumbled. "Youu know what, pause! Doors anyone have some sweatpants or something?"

Biana shrugged. "I have a unicorn onesie." white

Ram laughed and so did Keefe. "Oh, I'd love to see that!"

She pinched the bridge of her nose. "The universe hates me." She sighed. "Where is it?"

The brunette giggled. "Upstairs. It's actually out on my dresser."

Sophie muttered incoherent words the whole way there, the whole time she was changing, and the whole time it took her to get back to the group and sit in between the two people she had been befofe.

"And let's begin!" Biana announced really giddily, clapping. She leaned forward, taking her time to look everyone in the eye as she said, "Who wants to go first?"

"Me!" Keefe called, raising his hand. "I'll show Foster how it's done."

She rolled her eyes at her friend. "By all means."

"Alright, then, Keefe. Truth or Dare?"

He scoffed. "Do _none_ of you know me? You should figure out by now that I'm obviously going to pick dare."

"Alright. I . . ."

Biana started looking around the room thoughtfully, and Sophie quickly entered her mind. _Need some help?_

Luckily, Biana didn't jolt, so she didn't give it away, but her eyes did flick to Sophie's for a split second. _Sure_.

Sophie then whispered the few good fares she had. She's been !along up a list at home, trying to be prepared for wen her and the gang decided to have another smack down.

"Do I sense cheating?" Keefe asked with a teasing raises eyebrow.

Sophie turned the slightest bit red and swallowed. "Shut up, Sencen."

Fitz laughed and gave a charming smile which sent Sophie's heart fluttering again, like it always did. "Are suggestions not aloud?"

Keefe pondered the thought for a secons, then realized he could use that to his own advantage, so he yelled. "Deal!"

Biana smirked. "Okay, then. I dare you to carry your person to the left around the room."

Keefe looked to the left as he playfully smirked, opening his arms wide like he was going to give them a hug. "Technopath buddy!"

Dex groaned. "Really, Biana?"

"Yes," was all she said.

So, quite hilariously, Dex was scooped up into Keefe's arms and they started walking around the room for the next matter of minutes.

"Who's going next?" Keefe asked, looking odd as he spun in a circle with Dex.

"I will, I guess," Fits spoke up.

"Great! Can I ask him, even though I am will fulfilling my dare?"

Everyone nodded their agreement and Biana said, "You can stop, now, though."

"Finally!" Dex shouted, hopping from Keefe's arms and springing to the floor, where he sat back in his spot. Keefe came and sat, too.

"Truth or Dare? " he asked.

He sighed. "Dare."

"Mmm, yes!" Keefe cackled, rubbing his hands together like a mad scientist plotting to build Frankenstein. "I dare you to . . . Pretend Iggy is your crush and ask him out."

many in the group snorted out laughter at the randomness and Fitz shook his head. "I hate you right now. K, where's the fluffball?"

"I'll go get him," Sophie said, still laughing as she stood.

"Love the unicorn onesie, Foster! " Keefe teased as the tail behind her swayed. "This isn't mortifying Sophie time!" She paused and snapped her fingers. "Oh, Fitz!"

"What?"

"I know what you should do! You need to show up _presentable_ for Iggy! Anyone have a tux or some flowers?"

Everyone burst into more laughter and started conversing loudly about where everything was while Fits groaned.

 _Sorry!_ she transmitted

 _ **No, you're not**_ , he said it lightly.

 _Yeah, you're right. Aww, my Iggy baby is gonna be all grown up! Goin' on a date!_

Sophie raced upstairs and took a sleeping Iggy from his cage, and he awoke when she ran down the stairs.

"Sorry, Iggs!" she said.

A couple of minutes later, Fitz was all dressed in a tuxedo and had a bouquet of random flowers that a selected few had run outside and picked.

Iggy was confused as ever, sstirrings table and looking at all of the giggling elvessending him as Fits for den code to the imp with a suppressed sigh. "Before I do this, just know that I hate you all."

Sophie batted her eyelashes. "Aw, even your Cognate-in-training?"

"Slightly less than others, but still, yes."

And so, with much coaxing and prodding from his other friends, he eventually asked out the newly dyed imp, which they all caught on camera.

Fitz went and changed, then when he came back and they all say back down in their circle, he warned, "None of you had better post that it send that to anyone."

"Can I at least send it to my parents?" Sophie asked with an innocent shrug and smile.

"Fine. But tell _them_ not to send it to anyone."

Sophie snorted as she typed away on her Imparter. "You know they wouldn't do that."

"Next!" Dex announced, getting everyone back on track.

"Okay . . . Dex?"

" Ugh, of course you choose me. "

"Truth or Dare?"

"Truth. I don't want to see what magic Wonderboy laid up his sleeve because I will _not_ be humiliated by _you_ of all people."

He shrugged, pursing his lips. "Fair enough. All right . . . Out of everyone in this room, who would be the worst to have to be trapped in a elevator with?"

"What's that?" Lihn asked.

And so, Sophie and Fitz had to go through the process of explanation to the others even as of to what a elevator was and what it's purpose was to humans.

"Ohhh," Keefe said. "so it's kinda like a sluggish version of the Vortinator at my house."

Sophie shuddered at the mention. "I hate that thing."

"You get used to it," he said cooly.

Dec blew out a breath in thought into his hands as he rubbed them together in thought. "Well . . ." He cringed. "Sorry, Soph, but friendly you. Or, hey, maybe Biana as well."

"What? _Why?"_ Both girls defended in unison.

"You two seem like the type to get claustrophobic."

"Oh."

"Ok, who's next?" Tam asked, and Sophie noticed he was covering himself the slightest wth the shadows in the room.

Dex shrugged and turned a little red. "Lihn?"

She nodded her consent.

"Truth or Dare?"

"Umm . . . Truth."

"What is your biggest fear?"

Linn blushed. "Repeating the Atlantis incident."

Everyone nodded and murmured their agreements. "Seems like a good choice."

She looked around the circle and finally her eyes landed on her brother. "Tam, can I do you?"

He straightened and pushed all the shadows away, giving a shrug. "Sure."

"Truth or Dare?"

"Dare."

"Yell like a wounded animal for Alden and Della."

 _"What?"_

The room turned into a fit of snorty giggles.

"Tell and cry and call out their names like you're hurt."

Tam was very reluctant on oding so, but when Linn threatened to make a different dare for him involving Keefe that he would never be ale to forget, he gave in and started yelling and bawling fakely while everyone in the room was rolling around on the floor in laughter, covering the mouths in an attempt to stay quiet.

Finally, Alden and Della burst into the room and Tan stopped right then and there while everyone else screamed in laughter.

Alden and Della both exchanged glances, smiles, and rolling of their eyes as they caught on to the for try are playing a game, and left ten to do their thing.

And they got to another person and another before Obama called out that Sophie hasn't yet gone. She hid behind he hair ad she turned pink, sad her reign of immunity was over. "I don't want to go!'

"Too bad! Truth or Dare, Sophie, Truth or Dare?"

"Dare," she mumbled from behind her hair.

"Take off your panties and give them to a guy."

"WAIT- WHAT- _NO!"_

"You've gotta!" Linn said.

"C'mon, Foster. Don't be a buzzkill."

Biana rolled her eyes. "You've just sealed your fate in this, too, Keefe. Give your panties to blondy over there!"

"WHAT!?"

"Haha, Foster's triggered."

Sophie turned red as she arose and went into the nearest bathroom and slipped off her panties, then put back in the onesie and came back out. She turned a shade darker as she tossed the neon pink panties to Keefe, who caught them with two hands, unfolded them, and started inspecting them. "Man, girls underpants are literally just triangle made from fabric with some elastic in the hips," he said, stretching them out at the waistline.

"Oooooookay, Keefe. That's . . . Enough," Sophie said as all the girls were mortified at the guys staring oddly at the pair of undergarments.

Keefe smirked at all of them, but set the pair aside.

Sophie had thought that was about the worst dare.

As they went around the circle again, other odd dares happened, like where one male had to lick another female's ones for a minute straight. Another was where Tam had to take off his shirt, be tied with his hands behind his back and let the rest of rest of the crew melt ice cubes on him for a minute and a half. Then there was where Lihn had to run outside in a bathrobe, run up to the first person she saw and declare undying love for them. Then Dex had to go to the neighbor's house and ask for a toilet brush, a condom, and a tampon.

Still, Sophie thought her dare had been more mortifying than any other. . .

. . . Until the end of the circle reached her again. And if course, Biana wound up with her.

Sophie decided to trust the brunette with her fate by choosing a dare, thinking it couldn't be as bad as the last one. But she also left out the detail that Biana knew she liked her brother.

Boy was she wrong for trusting the brunette.

"Ugh, no!" Sophie moaned when she whispered her dare into Sophie's ear. "I thought I could trust you! I thought you'd go way on me, but _nope!"_

She snickered. "And you have to with Fitz."

He perked up at his name and everyone was listening for an explanation when Sophie buried her face in he hands. "Let me apologise ahead of time, Fitz," she muttered into her hands. "This is going to be awkward."

 **~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~**

 **(A/N:) And let me apologise to you for all the spelling errors**


	3. 02 CURVEBALL

SOPHIE STOOD FROM THE CIRCLE AND MADE HER WAY OVER TO FITZ, HER FACE completely red. "I'm really sorry," she muttered ahead of time as she sat on his criss, crossed legs, a.k.a, his lap. The worst part was she wasn't facing the rest of the group; she was facing him.

But Keefe has to make a joke out of it. "Hey, look! Foster is finally as tall as the Fitzster!"

"Shut up, Keefe," she muttered harshly. "Not in the mood."

"Ouch."

Everyone started covering their mouths and giggling when Sophie grabbed the bottom hem of his shirt and drug it up him, over his head, and off his body. Sophie tried not to stare at his rock hard abs that were now on display for all to see.

"Sorry, once again," she said, still humilified as she took his shirt and got up off his lap, running to the bathroom.

"What is she doing?" keefe asked, bursting into laughter alongside everyone else.

"Taking off all her clothes and changing into his shirt," Biana said proudly, smirking in the direction of the bathroom.

 _"All?_ Is she not allowed to wear _anything_ underneath?"

"Nope!"

"Is that the dare?" Linh asked.

Biana giggled. "That's _part_ of the dare. Then Fitz comes in."

"What have you done, Biana?" Dex asked, his laughter uncontrollable like everyone else in the room, minus Fitz.

"Aw, c'mon, big bro. Live a little! She and you will be just fine. The dare isn't that bad."

"I don't think I believe you," he said, but he smiled as he looked back at the bathroom door, waiting for Sophie to come back out. "Come on out, Cognate!"

Sophie, inside the bathroom, blushed as she stripped down to nothing but her socks and pulled the light gray shirt over her head and onto her body. She grimaced at how tightly it clung to her petite, innocent frame and how no matter how much she tugged down, the bottom half rode up. She tried and tried, but there was no way she could avoid showing more skin than she wanted to. It was hopeless.

Sophie creaked the door open slightly and peeked her head out. "I hate you, you do realize?" she said to a snickering brunette.

"I know."

She finally came out of the room and all eyes were glued in her and she mumbled incoherent words while scratching the back of her neck as she blushed fiercely. "I'm gonna . . ." Her eyes nervously wavered to Fitz before she swallowed. "Go grab Ella before I fulfill this."

She rushed off away then and they knew she had gone upstairs to get Ella from her purple backpack in Biana's room. Biana was snickering to herself the whole while.

"What is _up_ with you?" Tam asked curiously. "Like, what did you ask her to do to im'?"

"Nothing really that bad," she said, though she was grinning widely like an idiot. "I just knew it was going to make her embarrassed, so I thought, 'hey, why not?'."

Sophie came back down the stairs, her face buried in Emma's due while her hair hung down, covering most of her face. She was mumbling more unheard phrases into the blue fuzz as she came up to Fitz and squatted down.

She transmitted to him what she had to do as she tried not to look at his chest and he gave a snort. "Of course she would say that."

Then Biana was, again, lost to laughter.

"It's not that funny," Fits said, trying to calm Sophie's nerves as her cheeks flushed a deeper color.

"Seriously, what's happening?" Dex asked at the same time Keefe yelled, "No telepathic conversations!"

"She has to sit on his lap."

"Wait, _what?"_ Keefe asked as Linh herself turned red at the thought and Tam just have a laugh and a salute. "Have fun with that."

"Is there a amount of time?" Dex asked.

"Well, I was originally thinking ten minutes . . ." She paused for a second and then her eyes lit up. "But I never clarified the time so I can just make one up right now!"

"No, no, no, no, no, no!" Sophie blurted, waving her arms along with Ella in a stop motion. "It doesn't work like that! Someone _please_ tell me it doesn't work like that!"

"Oh, it can work like that, Foster."

Of _course_ he would be on Biana's side of torture.

"Dang it."

"I'll tell you when you can be done," Biana smiled deviously.

"C'mon," Sophie groaned. "Five minutes? I'll do ten if you really want me to!" She pled, knowing Biana would most likely make her sit on Fitz's lap the whole time if she could. And, currently, she had the power to do so.

"Nope! Until I say stop!"

Sophie muttered more words as she crawled into Fire's lap, everyone watching as he helped her position herself. She tried not to think about how close he was, and she tried not to have her heart flutter, for she knew Keefe was probably listening in keenly in her emotions, waiting for one he could use against her to blurt out and embarrass her more with.

She also tried to ignore the fact she could feel his breath on the back of her neck as she curled Ella up to her face, hugging her and desperately trying to hide.

She would get Biana back. . .

Hopefully.

 **~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~**

THE REST OF THE NIGHT WAS EVENTFUL, TO SAY THE LEAST. SOPHIE KNEW EVEN those without a photographic memory would remember the glorious sleepover.

Biana let Sophie hop off of Fitz at the last possible second, and Sophie scurried to change back into the onesie, knowing it would still be a humiliating pair of pajamas to wear, but it was sure better than wearing Fitz's shirt.

She felt bad for having gone through Biana's fare and wearing it, since he probably wouldn't want I back now, seen as we had worn it without any other clothes on underneath . . .

Thankfully, he seemed cool about it and she bit her lip when he said it looked better on her than him. He realised his mistake immediately and flushed deep red. "I-I didn't mean . . . Y-you just . . ."

Sophie shook it away as best she could, like she was fanning the awkwardness away. "No, I . . Think I get what you mean. Just . . . Yeah, thanks."

The sleepover really started to get fun from there.

They played a game of Poison Dart Frog first, which Sophie had to explain to them. They all say down in a circle, legs criss-crossed.

"Just to make sure we're on the same page, you all know what a poison dart frog is, right?"

There was a chorus of, "yes."

"Good. So, pretty much, everyone has to close their eyes except for one person who is chosen to pick someone to be the dart frog. If you feel a tap on your shoulder, you're the frog. If you get a tap on your head, you're the investiagtor, pretty much, which we'll get to in a second. Now, when the chosen person says so, everyone can open their eyes and the game will begin. The frog will then start killing off people by-"

 _"What?"_ Linh shrieked. "I don't wanna play this game!"

"No, no. Not actually! Listen. They pretend to, get it, cause dart frogs are poisonous? You just try to sneakily do it while the investigator tries to figure out who's the frog before everyone's "dead". The dart frog will kill you off by sticking or flicking out their tongue while looking at you. If you see someone do that, they're the frog, and you flop over like you're dead. Got it?"

The first few rounds were xhaotic , but eventually they got the hang of it.

Next they baked tons of treats with one another in the kitchen and ended up having a massive food fight with the leftover ingredients, which they had to clean up in the end, and everyone had to take a shower. It . . . Took awhile.

Then they played Hide-N-Seek, and went on the side of the road to play Sweet-N-Sour, which as basically were you waved to people, and if the wave back, they're considered sweet. If they don't, they're sour.

After that, it had begun to get sort of dark, so they played game of light tag with some flashlights. A couple rounds they played without abilities, but in the funds they had abilities, Sophie won basically everytime.

Next they tried Ships Across The Ocean, which, same as all the other games, ended up being chaotic. Sophie managed to hurt herself, so they had to grab the first aid kit from Sophie's duffle bag to fix her bruised leg up, but it was back to good in no time, and the teens went right back at it.

They went inside and began having a !massive pillow fight when Sophie called out a quick, "Wait!", and everyone froze mid-swing, panting heavily.

"We should totally make a pillow fort!"

"A what now?"

"It's exactly what it sounds like! You construct a fort using various objects like, mainly pillows and blankets. It's really fun! Wanna give it a go?"

"Sure!"

"Why not?"

"Sounds pretty cool.'"

"I'm in!"

"Alright, so, first part of building an incredible pillow fort is choosing the correct location. Anyone have any genius ideas?"

Everyone began to think hard over the various places they could build their cozy kingdom when Sophie snapped her fingers. "The roof!"

"The _what?"_ Baina and Fitz asked.

"Is Foster suggesting we all climb into the roof to build a fort?"

Sophie blushed. "What? Bad idea?"

Keefe scoffed. "Did you hear me say that anywhere in that sentence? That idea is awesome!" He celebrated, jumping up and down as running his hands together with a combination of clapping. "Let's do it!" He stopped bouncing and used telekinesis to lift a couple of pillows. "Get moving, lazybones!"

With a collaboration of shrugs and chuckles, everyone began to get to work in !loving the building materials to the roof. It too awhile, and it was awkward having to move the materials outside then squint as you'd try and set the pillow or chair or blanket up on the roof with your mind.

In the end, they all levitated themselves up onto the roof and then found a relatively flat spot where they began to construct their fort. It turned out as a sort of, half-tent. They had the shingles of the roof all covered with blankets and tons of colored pillows thrown randomly all over the place. The sun was just a sliver in the horizon.

"We're gonna need a source of light," Dex noted.

"Star light!" Linh exclaimed. "Let's go star bottling!"

"Ooh, good idea," Keefe said, snapping his fingers. He grinned at Soohie. "Just don't go bottling Elementine. We don't need to almost blow up and evacuate Everglen, too."

"Shut up. Let's just get the light already."

And so, with Alden and Della's permission, they went and bottled tons of different colored starlight, then came back to Everglen and set it up throughout their fort.

Lastly, as the night began to wind down and everyone became bored since they wer out of ideas of what to do, Sophie had crafts on her mind. She suddenly burst into laughter and everyone looked at her oddly. "What?" Tam asked.

"We could make friendship bracelets," she suggested sheepishly.

"Wait, what?"

"It's . . . a human thing. You have some thread I can use to show you?"

Biana jumped up. "I have colorful thread in my crafts box!"

"You have a _crafts box?"_

"Of _course_ she has a crafts box."

Biana was absolutely giddy as she ran off and levitated to the ground, then she came back a couple minutes later with some colorful thread raveled up on spindles. Sophie took everyone one by one and made the bracelets around their wrists, tying and twisting and weaving them together.

Sophie thought the night was going great, until her heart lurched into her throat when she saw Prentice, Tiergan and a couple of the Councillors light leap outside of Everglen's gates.


	4. 03 THE TASK AT HAND

"WHAT ARE THEY. . . DOING HERE?" Sophie whispered to her friends.

They had all crawled to the edge of the roof and were curiously leaning over the edge, watching as Alden came out of the house and went to the gate, then began conversing with the Councilors, Prentice, and Tiergan.

"I'm not sure," Fitz mumbled, his eyebrows creasing together.

"Is Foster in trouble again? Did you leave some leftover bottled Elementine at Foxfire? Let the verminion loose? Oh, no, no, no! Wait, I got it! You blew up another mentors cape!"

Dex flicked him on the back of the head as Sophie turned red. "Leave her alone," Biana defended, shoving him with her elbow.

All their eyes flashed back down into the yard when Alden opened the gate and they all entered the yard. Sophie thought they were super lucky when all the adults didn't seem to notice the teenagers on the roof, but it was all too soon and good to be true, for their heads perked up and Alden made a motion with his hand for them to come down.

A shiver ran down Sophie's spine at how serious he looked.

She glanced nervously at all her friends, who all looked equally worried.

Had something terrible happened?

•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

SOMEONE DIED. SOMEONE DIED. OH, I KNOW IT. SOMEONE DIED.

Sophie sat nervously on one of the couches in Everglen's living room, wringing her clammy hands together and twiddling her thumbs as the Councilors, Prentice, and Tiergan all stood before the group. Alden was beside them, hand on the back of the couch. Biana bit her lip and gathered her dark hair together so it hung on one side of her shoulders.

"They have informed me the news is for you," Alden said, straightening and folding his hands.

"All of us?" Dex asked.

Alden turned his head for a second, then looked back at the group of friends. "Perhaps it is best if I let them explain."

Keefe narrowed his eyes. "What's going on?"

"I assure you, Mr. Sencen, everything is-" Terik started, but Keefe cut him off by muttering, "Just Keefe is fine."

"It only concerns two of you," Bronte clarified.

They all looked around at one another, silently trying to guess who the 'chosen' ones were. "And those would be. . ?" Fitz asked.

Tiergan made a nodding motion with his head. "You and Miss Foster."

"Oh god, what did I do?" Sophie whined, burying her face in her hands. "What did I do that was illegal this time? Am I gonna need a punishment? Tribunal? Oh no, did I somehow drag Fitz into this? Is that why he's one of the people you need to talk to? I swear, if someone told you I was the one who set off the defluxer on the main bramble field, it wasn't-"

"Miss Foster," Tiergan said, causing Sophie to stop and look at him. "I assure you no defluxers are involved."

She blushed as Keefe snickered. "Then perhaps a fire was involved? Pretty sure Sophie set that one."

He winked at her and she turned a shade darker from embarrassment at the realisation she had set a fire.

It had been a normal day in class and she was in her gnomish agriculture class. The gnomes had special serums and tonics that they sometimes used as types of fertilization, and they'd told Sophie to grow this one type of plant, blah blah blah blah blah.

One problem: they hadn't told her what tonics and serums to use. They'd wanted her to do it on her own.

Sparing the details, Sophie had mixed the wrong two and they'd. . .

. . .well, exploded and some stuff had kinda set on fire. . .

"Nor is it concerning the incident of last week, Mr. Sencen," Oralie said in her sweet voice, and Sophie wanted to hide behind her hair when she saw Prentice holding back a smile.

"This is actually about helping Mr. Vacker and Miss Foster reach their goal."

Sophie and Fitz stole a confused glance at one another before they looked back at the group of adults. "You mean. . ?" Fitz started, gesturing between him and Sophie.

"Yes," Prentice smiled. "We know you've been having. . . troubles, trying to become Cognates."

Sophie's cheeks flushed when Fitz smirked and Keefe nudged her and she raised her hand sheepishly. "That would be my fault. . ."

"No one blames you for anything," Oralie said. "Especially not Mr. Vacker. Things such as this can take time."

"Not as much time as I've made it go. . ."

Oralie smiled gently. "Trust me when I tell you there have been longer processes than this."

Bronte cleared his throat. "But back to our main topic. . ."

"We have come to a decision we think is best, which will help you two along and hopefully reach becoming full Cognates."

Keefe snorted and Dex muttered something about "Sophitz."

"What are they?"

"They're called theTrials."

When Sophie and Fitz looked at one another worriedly, Oralia said, "We assure you it's safe. And it's completely your decision."

"So . . ?"

"I will if he will," Sophie said.

Fitz sighed. "When do we start?"

* * *

 **A/N: Ugh so short sorry**


	5. 04 PREPARATION AND TAKE OFF

**(A/N:) ya'll hate me for leaving temporarily then coming straight back, don't ya...**

 ***grimace* sorry**

 **well, Sabrina is getting a little too excited about this, btw, but she's also getting a little stressed (as am i) over this weird exchange. There's been complications where she can't copy n paste or post and so forth.**

 **Goodness...**

 **Can't this just be easy?**

* * *

SOPHIE PACKED MINDLESSLY. SHE TOOK WHATEVER SHE SAW AND SHOVED IT INTO HER PURPLE backpack.

They'd told her to pack. She didn't know why, but what she did know was that it scared her wholly and completely.

Trials. The Trials.

What were the Trials?

All she knew was that she wasn't ready for what they were.

She felt like it was going to be a concentration camp where someone would 'break' her -just not like that- and she would give up her secret to Fitz.

She shuddered at the thought. She knew it wouldn't happen -elves weren't violent like that, especially not someone like Tiergan to someone like her- but. . .

The feeling of worry settled in the pit of her stomach, being stubborn and refusing to leave like a child pouting when they were sent to time out.

What if something happened during these trials that droved her and Fitz apart?

Crap, if she screwed up. . .

She didn't want to think about that. Not now.

There was so much to worry about.

She grabbed Ella into her arms and snuggled her to her chest after she slung her backpack over her shoulder and trudged down the stairs to Havenfield's living room.

Edaline and Grady were waiting for her, and they scooped her into their arms. "We'll miss you," Edaline said.

"Me too," Sophie replied.

"Don't get into too much trouble," Grady teased.

"I'll try," Sophie laughed. "Now where do I go?"

"Fitz is outside with the Councillors, Prentice and Tiergan."

Sophie turned red. "Wait, Fitz already finished packing and leaped here?"

"Yep."

"How long have I been?"

"Not too much. Don't fret over it. Just get on out there."

Sophie nodded and walked out the front door, Grady and Edaline following. She went and stood before everyone, breathing out slowly. "What happens now?"

Prentice smiled at Fitz and Sophie. "The Trials are sets of puzzles and challenges made for Cognates to try to endure. It's suposed to help strengthen a bond and reveal it's true colors. We're hoping this will have a positive effect and help."

Hoping. He was hoping. Not sure.

She gripped Ella tighter.

"You two will be set on the run."

"On the run?" Sophie and Fitz yelled in unison.

"You will have to try to hide from us for 27 days and endure tests we throw at you randomly. You'll have to work as a team to get through every obstacle and stay hidden. If you're caught, game over. Got it?"

Sophie looked nervously at Fitz and her hand went clammy when he grabbed hers and looked to them, determined. "I'm ready."

Everyone looked to the blonde, who let out a breath. "We're already here, packed and ready. Why not?"

"Good. You will be hunted down by the other Councillors, since there will be no favoritism. You get a head start from them, but they will be given your last known location in an hour, got it?"

"Got it," they said together, Sophie trying her hardest not to let her voice shake.

Bronte smiled. "Oh, but there are some rules. No light leaping. You can have Imparters, if you want. You can hide in the Forbidden Cities. No reaching out to the Black Swan for help. And of course, no getting caught, you two." He said the last part teasingly.

"Ready?"

Sophie looked to Fitz, who smiled charmingly at her and squeezed her hand, sending her heart into a frenzy.

"Ready."

The Councillors held up their pathfinders and leapt away, signalling the begining of the Trials.


End file.
